Baseball 5/3/2019 8:35:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Wraps Up Regular Season

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team wraps up the 2019 regular season this weekend with a three-game Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association series against Southwest Baptist.

The Bronchos will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and then play the final game of the regular season Sunday afternoon.

Central Oklahoma is 30-16 overall this season and has a 19-11 record in the MIAA. UCO has locked up a spot in next week's MIAA Tournament. The Bronchos are currently tied for third place and could finish anywhere from third to sixth. Southwest Baptist is 20-27 overall and has a 10-20 record in league play.

"We want to finish strong," UCO head coach John Martin said. "You can just start playing now like it's the postseason and play every game like they are must wins. That kind of focus and attitude will help and get us ready for next weekend."

Central will ride its dominating pitching staff into the final weekend of the regular season. The Bronchos have earned high marks this season both on the mound as well as defensively.

UCO has a team earned run average of 3.77, which ranks 22nd in the nation. UCO's three regular starters have ERAs of 1.45, 3.14, and 3.43. The Bronchos also rank ninth in Division II in hits allowed per nine innings (7.74) and rank 11th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (10.2).

All of that in front of a defense that ranks No. 1 in NCAA Division II in fielding percentage at .984.

Dylan Hall leads the charge for the rotation. The junior righty out of Stafford, Va. has a 3.43 ERA and is 5-3 in 13 starts this season. Hall has 104 strikeouts – eighth most in the country – in just 81 1/3 innings pitched this season.

Gabe Littlejim has a 3.14 ERA and a 5-4 record in nine starts. He has 57 Ks in 51 2/3 innings pitched. Brayden Nelson has a 1.45 ERA in four starts and a 5-0 record. Nelson, who has 43 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched, made 10 relief appearances before moving into a starting role last month.

The Broncho bullpen continues the success. UCO seniors Landon Bond, Junior Obeso, and Josh Rutland lead the way in relief. All rank in the top-10 nationally in appearances this season.

Bond has 27 appearances – fourth most in DII – and has a blistering 14.5 strikeouts per nine innings mark that ranks sixth in the country. The lefty has a 2.90 ERA.

Obeso's 29 appearances are the most of any pitcher in the country this season. He has a 4-1 record with a 4.50 ERA and has 49 strikeouts in 38 innings.

Rutland, UCO's all-time saves leader with 20, has nine saves this season. He's made 26 appearances this season, is 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA, and has 26 Ks in 27 innings pitched.

Offensively, UCO is led into the weekend by junior third baseman Philip Scott, who has a .307 batting average. Scott has a team-high 54 hits this season with 19 of them going for extra bases. He has 13 doubles, four home runs and two triples.

Brock Ruminer has a team-high .333 batting average and is among the national leaders in stolen bases. Ruminer's 28 swiped bags ranks 17th nationally. He has five doubles, three triples and three home runs this season.

TK McWhertor and Kyle Crowl join Scott with double-digit doubles this season. McWhertor has 11 and Crowl has 10. Crowl also has a team-high nine home runs. Paul Kropf is right behind him with eight long balls this season.

Southwest Baptist enters the weekend with a .284 team batting average. Carl Schwettman leads the way with nine home runs. The Bearcats have a 5.83 team ERA. Dalton Morrow has a 3.57 ERA in 13 starts this season and has 91 strikeouts in 90 2/3 innings pitched.

Following this weekend's series the Bronchos move on to the postseason. Central Oklahoma will visit Pittsburg State next week for the MIAA Postseason Tournament.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Landon Bond: P; 6' 1"; Senior; */L

#25 Paul Kropf: 1B; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#10 Junior Obeso: P; 5' 10"; Senior; */R

#3 Brock Ruminer: OF; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#35 Josh Rutland: P; 6' 3"; Senior; */R

#27 Philip Scott: 2B/3B; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#38 Gabe Littlejim: P; 6' 4"; Senior; R/R

#15 TK McWhertor: C; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#14 Brayden Nelson: P; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

#13 Dylan Hall: P; 6' 5"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#11 Landon Bond
: 6' 1"; Senior; */L
: P

#25 Paul Kropf
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: 1B

#10 Junior Obeso
: 5' 10"; Senior; */R
: P

#3 Brock Ruminer
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#35 Josh Rutland
: 6' 3"; Senior; */R
: P

#27 Philip Scott
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: 2B/3B

#38 Gabe Littlejim
: 6' 4"; Senior; R/R
: P

#15 TK McWhertor
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: C

#14 Brayden Nelson
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: P

#13 Dylan Hall
: 6' 5"; Junior; R/R
: P